Toronto 895 Lawrence East | 116.25m | 34s | Bazis | Rosario Varacalli

steveve

steveve

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Couldn't locate a thread for this one:

See: https://fcr.ca/properties/ontario/toronto/895-lawrence-avenue-east-2/
And: https://www.895lawrence.ca

In July 2022, First Capital filed a combined Official Plan Amendment and Rezoning application with the City of Toronto to redevelop 895 Lawrence Ave East.

We are excited to announce that First Capital has submitted a planning application to permit the redevelopment of our 895 Lawrence Avenue East property, situated at the southwest corner of Lawrence Avenue East and The Donway West, in the Central Don Mills neighbourhood of North York Toronto. The proposal contemplates introducing a 17 and 22-storey mixed-use building, connected by a 6-storey podium comprising 438 residential dwelling units, 16,285 square feet of grade-related retail space fronting Lawrence, 334 underground vehicular parking spaces, 438 bicycle parking spaces and 3 loading spaces.

Designed by WZMH Architects, this architecturally distinct building will create a gateway into the Central Don Mills neighbourhood by providing a corner plaza, featuring landscaping and street furniture for the community to enjoy. The use of various setbacks and step-backs will result in distinct building elements that fit within the surrounding built form context and maximize sunlight on adjacent sidewalks and the broader public realm.

Situated in Toronto’s well-known and popular Don Mills neighbourhood, the proposal will introduce a range of new housing options to the area. This mixed-use node is surrounded by some of Toronto’s most family-friendly and affluent communities, complementing First Capital’s ‘Super Urban’ strategy.

We are pleased to contribute to the growth in this area and look forward to working with the City of Toronto and local area residents throughout the application review process.

For more information on the proposed development, click here.

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The location here is decent. The Shops at Don Mills are right beside this. It's also reasonable distance down to Eglinton for the Science Centre station and beginning of the future Ontario Line.
 
Official App is now in for this one:

Development Applications

City Planning COA Application Information Center
app.toronto.ca

Site Plan:

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No additional renders available.

The Block Context Plan can always be of interest, a refresh on what is, what will be, and what may be:

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Now with massing models:

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On the side, never was sure of what method of madness was behind that weird shaped road induced island in a sea of now amalgamated Toronto...
 
AlbertC said:
The location here is decent. The Shops at Don Mills are right beside this. It's also reasonable distance down to Eglinton for the Science Centre station and beginning of the future Ontario Line.
Click to expand...
By the time this project is built hopefully the Ontario Line will be extended till here atleast lol

One can wish
 
This one was resubmitted way back in July '23 and we missed it!

The Cover Letter reveals:

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Ok...........after that..........the letter gets into a section of City Comments and Proponent Responses.

There are literally far too many to shift over here...... but I must admit, I find some of the City comments suspect, but the tone of some of the responses ........curious.

I think it would be interesting to here @innsertnamehere 's and @ProjectEnd 's take on that portion of the letter.

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Renders:

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@Paclo is duly flagged.
 
Site bought by Bazis!

storeys.com

Bazis Buys Two-Tower Project From First Capital For $32M, Planning Third Tower

First Capital REIT (TSX: FCR.UN) has sold 895 Lawrence Avenue East in North York, where it was planning two towers. Bazis is now planning three towers for the site.
storeys.com storeys.com

Toronto-based First Capital REIT (TSX: FCR.UN) has sold a development site in North York where it was planning a two-tower project, STOREYS has learned, officially passing on the project to Vaughan-based Bazis International, who has a significant revision in the works.

The subject site of the project is 895 Lawrence Avenue East in North York, which is located immediately west of the CF Shops at Don Mills shopping centre. The 2.14-acre site is currently occupied by a retail plaza that is approximately 95% leased.

For the site, First Capital REIT was planning a 17-storey tower and a 22-storey tower above a shared podium with a total of 438 units. An application was submitted to the City of Toronto in May 2022, but First Capital has now sold the site for $32,000,000 to Bazis in a transaction that closed on March 26, 2025. The sale was brokered by Lennard Commercial Realty.

The property was held under FCHT Holdings (Ontario) Corporation and is now held under 895 Lawrence Ave. E. Inc.

Although the transaction has not been previously reported, Bazis disclosed that it had acquired the site from First Capital REIT when they submitted a revised rezoning application to the City of Toronto in December. The resubmission also detailed proposed changes to the project.

Toronto-based First Capital REIT (TSX: FCR.UN) has sold a development site in North York where it was planning a two-tower project, STOREYS has learned, officially passing on the project to Vaughan-based Bazis International, who has a significant revision in the works.

The subject site of the project is 895 Lawrence Avenue East in North York, which is located immediately west of the CF Shops at Don Mills shopping centre. The 2.14-acre site is currently occupied by a retail plaza that is approximately 95% leased.

For the site, First Capital REIT was planning a 17-storey tower and a 22-storey tower above a shared podium with a total of 438 units. An application was submitted to the City of Toronto in May 2022, but First Capital has now sold the site for $32,000,000 to Bazis in a transaction that closed on March 26, 2025. The sale was brokered by Lennard Commercial Realty.

The property was held under FCHT Holdings (Ontario) Corporation and is now held under 895 Lawrence Ave. E. Inc.

Although the transaction has not been previously reported, Bazis disclosed that it had acquired the site from First Capital REIT when they submitted a revised rezoning application to the City of Toronto in December. The resubmission also detailed proposed changes to the project.

"Compared to the prior submission circulation, the proposed built form, site organization and architectural design have been amended, but the fundamental premise of this mixed use project is still to provide the much needed housing," said Bazis in their cover letter to the City.

For the site, Bazis is now planning three towers at heights of 26 storeys, 32 storeys, and 34 storeys, with a total of 1,194 residential units, comprised of 700 studio and one-bedroom units, 354 two-bedroom units, and 140 three-bedroom units. The increased heights and additional tower more than doubles the amount of proposed units.


www.toronto.ca

Application Details

www.toronto.ca www.toronto.ca


From Dec 2024 resubmission


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The city needs to push for loading to be moved below grade on sites like this. Keep the massing but consolidate garbage and resident loading below grade with an entrance off Donway, allowing the podiums to be activated 360deg fronting a public mews. Pickup/dropoff can be accomplished with a smaller one-way layby.

Instead, we have this car centric design where 50% of the site is dedicated to a driveway
 
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